The Life We Never Could Have Had
by Haybekoline
Summary: [Set during 5x18, one-shot] Stefan and Elena broke up because Elena chose Damon, but will visions showing them both what their human life could have been like reveal Elena's true feelings? Stelena


**This is my first published piece of work and I wanted to write about Stelena because I love them a lot haha**

 **Anyways, this is a one-shot of how I thought Stefan and Elena would return to each other after their breakup in early season 4.**

 **It takes place in 5x18 after they have the visions of what their lives would be like if they were human.**

 **(also i made this at 2am during the stelena depression hours so if there's mistakes don't judge me pls)**

* * *

Elena Gilbert was sitting in the Salvatore brothers' house after a crazy day. It started when she was with Caroline Forbes, her blonde best friend when she first experienced visions of an alternate universe version of herself and her ex-boyfriend, Stefan Salvatore.

The visions came randomly, and they showed their first meeting, first kiss, the proposal and having kids together - It was all Elena could have wanted as a human.

"Elena," The familiar voice startled her; it was Stefan. He had also been experiencing the visions and had similar feelings about them as she did. Elena was sitting by the fire and turned to see Stefan standing at the door.

 _'Stefan is your epic love.'_

Just before he had interrupted her thoughts, she felt an aching chill leave her body. It was like she had the giddy feeling all day because of these visions, and now it was gone. Elena would have been lying if she said she wanted them to go away, but it was inevitable.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she stood to face the younger Salvatore brother. "Did you feel that too?" Her voice was raspy and she was gasping. Partly because of the visions, partly because she still felt an overwhelming amount of guilt when she looked at Stefan. Her recent breakup with Damon seemed to only magnify that.

"And then it just... ended." Stefan also had a sad expression on his face - something like when he heard Elena profess her love to Damon or when he was too late to save her from drowning after Matt drove his truck off Wickery Bridge.

Elena looked down at the floor before looking back up at Stefan. "Does that mean that it's over?"

He slowly nodded, confirming the thing neither of them wanted to hear. "Yeah. It's over."

Elena nodded in response, looking back at the floor again, trying to hide her blotchy face because of the tears.

"Elena..." Stefan said before taking quick steps over to her, pulling her into a comforting hug. He also needed it for himself, more than he cared to admit. Elena felt a nice feeling of familiarity wash over her, she had missed her hugs off Stefan. They made her feel secure, like nothing in the world could ever hurt her; hurt them.

The brunette allowed herself to cry into his chest, not feeling sorry when her tears stained his shirt. They would go away soon enough anyway. But the memory of the visions would stay with them both forever.

They both knew that they would still be together if they Elena was still human. Hell, everybody knew it, Caroline, Bonnie, even Damon.

 _'This is fascinating, I've never seen this before. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl.'_

Stefan liked to often wonder what life would have been like if he could save Elena as well. He sometimes kicks himself for that, knowing he probably had the strength to get both Elena and Matt out alive. Maybe then, Elena's choice about Stefan maybe would have stuck.

With gentle reluctance, Elena pulled away from Stefan who had managed to get rid of the tears that he was holding back. His expression was still a brooding one, They moved to sit where Elena was originally sitting before, back in front of the fireplace. The two sat in a comfortable silence, but both wanted the other to say something.

Elena decided to break the silence and began. "They weren't real." It was something neither of them was willing to admit because neither wanted to. It was as simple as that.

"It was a spell." Stefan countered. He took in a deep breath. "Showing us what we wanted to see."

"We weren't vampires, my parents were still alive. It was... a fantasy. Like a movie." Elena paused and thought about her next words. "It was the life we never could have had."

Stefan nodded lightly in agreement. "But it still felt-"

"Amazing?"

The pair made eye contact, eye contact so powerful it could drown out the sound of the crackling fire in front of them. Something that could make Elena forget all about her feelings for Damon and only remember her relationship with Stefan. She felt guilty - She had her chance to pick Stefan, but she chose Damon. Now that Elena had fully settled in her vampirism, she could see clearly now.

Stefan kept the eye contact. "Yeah." Elena sighed just thinking about it, and Stefan noticed her crestfallen expression. "But you know, the life that we had, I mean, that was amazing too. And it wasn't a spell or a prophecy, it was real. We fell in love on our own; we had our ups and downs, we fought."

Elena had a small smile on her face through Stefan reminiscing. "I died."

They both knew that her death and transition into a vampire marked the beginning of the end. Stefan looked down in his lap before returning to look at the love of his life. "Yeah. We changed, both of us. And we grew, we grew apart, but that is real. I mean, that's life."

Elena silently agreed and thought back to visions. A small smile graced her face as she remembered the separating detail from fiction and reality. "You couldn't cook."

Her statement seemed to lighten the mood. "And you could. Again, a fantasy." Stefan joked.

Elena feigned offence and laughed along with him. Her laugh was beautiful, it reminded Stefan of when he got to hear it almost every day. Of when they were happy.

Stefan debated with himself whether or not he should reveal his next sentence, but the words rolled off his tongue before he could stop them. "I will always love you, Elena."

Elena smiled in response, thinking her heart was going to burst with joy. She knew that her reply was going to be the same thing, but she couldn't help but think her response would have further meaning.

She was an idiot for not realising it until now. Elena Gilbert was still in love with Stefan Salvatore.

It made her giddy just to think about it. Staring at him in front of the fireplace brought back all sorts of memories - the good, the bad, the happy, the heartbreaking - all of her feelings came rushing back. Elena was blinded by lust for Damon, convinced that he could love her the way Stefan couldn't, but in hindsight, she could see that wasn't true.

 _'Personally, I think she's wasting her time with Damon.'_

"I will always love you, too."

Their eye contact was more powerful than ever before. Chocolate brown met leafy green, it was beautiful. Their feelings danced along with their eyes that were flickering between their lips.

Stefan was tempted, he really was, but her choice to be with Damon was stuck in his mind. He was sure he was over it, maybe not over her exactly, but he could move past her choice to be with his brother, even though it was the worst heartbreak he had felt in years.

It had a long time since their last kiss - last real kiss, anyway. Elena questioned the part of herself that let him go.

"What are you thinking right now?" Elena blurted, scared to meet his eyes again but committed herself to her question. Stefan looked confused as to where it was coming from, but Elena persisted. "And be honest with me."

Stefan sighed and readjusted himself on the chair. "I was thinking about how you chose Damon." Elena raised an eyebrow. "You wanted me to be honest."

Elena smiled sadly at her ex-boyfriend. "Do you ever think about what things would be like if I had chosen you?"

 _'Stefan is your soulmate!'_

Stefan inhaled. "Elena-"

"If, miraculously, I had survived? If I hadn't drowned? Maybe things would be less screwed up." Stefan didn't say anything while Elena silently chuckled to herself. "God, who am I kidding…"

Stefan looked back towards Elena, who was on the brink of tears again. "I do. But you chose Damon, and I've grown to accept that."

"I'm really sorry, Stefan. For everything I put you both through." Elena sniffled. "I just…"

Stefan waited, but Elena never finished her sentence. "What?"

"What if I made a mistake?"

Stefan felt his undead heart beat faster. There was a good chance she had begun talking about something else, but he still held out hope. "About..?"

Elena shot a look of fake annoyance at him. "You know what I'm talking about. I see it now, I see how I really feel. How I've always really felt."

Stefan stared at her in wonder. After everything he and this girl had been through, was it all working out how he wanted it to?

"It was always you, Stefan."

Elena watched carefully for his reaction, having completely forgotten about Damon - but they were broken up, she didn't have to think about him anymore.

"Elena, you and Damon-"

"We're over now, I see how much of a fool I was for letting you go." Elena boldly continued.

"Elena-"

"And I know you're probably past it, I mean, you've had a while to cope with it, so that means that you've probably moved on from me, too, but-"

"Elena-"

"But I need you to know that I won't ever go back to Damon, even if you reject me now and say that all of your feelings for me are gone. I couldn't live with myself knowing I was with someone when I was actually in love with their brother-"

"Elena!" Stefan snapped Elena out of her rant and used a hand to cup her face. "You're the love of my life, do you really think I could move past that within a few months?"

Elena felt her heart skip a beat. "Does that mean, do, do you still..?" She almost sounded out of breath, which was strange because of her vampirism, a grin was ready to break out on her face, but that insecurity needed to be confirmed.

 _'Crazy or not, that kind of love never dies.'_

"I do."

Without further questioning, Elena connected her lips with Stefan's.

The feeling they both got was indescribable - It was gentle but passionate - Like the first time, they ever kissed.

They both wanted to be cautious, in case the other changed their mind, but with every fleeting second that passed, things got bolder and surer. Their love was a natural fit and they were considered to be soulmates. Everyone around them saw it.

At that moment, Elena Gilbert's and Stefan Salvatore's kiss stuck. It stuck for the rest of eternity.

* * *

 **Please leave reviews as I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this! 3**


End file.
